COLUMBUS, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Andy Wilson launched a new traffic safety campaign, “Hard Hitter,” aimed at raising awareness that unbuckled vehicle occupants endanger the safety of everyone else in the car.

The “Hard Hitter” campaign utilizes football imagery to visually demonstrate the forceful impact an unbuckled passenger can have on another occupant during a traffic accident. Officials emphasized that a crash at 50 miles per hour can propel an unrestrained occupant with eight times the force of a 240-pound linebacker running at full speed.

“When you decide not to wear a seat belt, it’s naive to think that the only life at risk is your own,” said Governor DeWine. “By choosing not to buckle up, you’re choosing to risk the lives of everyone else in the car with you. We want everyone to think about that the next time they consider staying unbuckled – especially with friends and family in the car.”

Lt. Governor Tressel added, “Wearing your seatbelt every time you get in a car saves lives. We hope this campaign helps Ohioans realize that buckling up is serious. As someone who has spent a career watching how hard linebackers can hit, being unbuckled in a crash is worse.”

Data from DPS’s Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) reveals that Ohio’s seat belt usage has consistently remained below the national average for more than a decade. In 2024, the state’s seat belt compliance rate was 85.2%, compared to the national average of 91.2%. Last year, 64% of individuals killed in Ohio traffic crashes were not wearing a seatbelt when one was available, marking the fifth consecutive year this rate exceeded 60%.

“Whether you’re behind the wheel or in the back seat, wearing a seat belt can mean the difference between life and death,” said Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. “Unbuckled fatalities in Ohio are not just tragic, they’re preventable. Wearing a seat belt every time you are in a vehicle is an easy choice that saves lives.”

The development of the “Hard Hitter” campaign was a recommendation from the Ohio Safety Belt Task Force, which published a comprehensive report on seat belt use in Ohio in May 2024. The task force’s findings indicated higher seat belt usage in front seats and on highways, with Ohioans less likely to buckle up in the back seat, during local travel, or as passengers in taxis or rideshares.

“We know a majority of people in Ohio understand the importance of wearing a seat belt, but far too many are still choosing to ride unprotected,” said Emily Davidson, OTSO director. “This new campaign is calling on everyone to wear their seat belt in every seat, on every trip.”

The new media campaign was a collaborative effort between OTSO and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Campaign materials direct Ohioans to buckleup.ohio.gov, a website offering updated resources for protecting occupants of all ages.

In related efforts, OTSO previously launched “Buckle Up with Brutus,” an elementary school seat belt program introduced before the 2024-2025 school year. This curriculum, designed by OTSO, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and The Ohio State University, aims to educate second and third-grade students on the importance of seat belt and booster seat use. Since its inception, school resource officers have delivered “Buckle Up with Brutus” lessons to more than 6,500 Ohio students.